Philadelphia Phillies May Have Finally Found Leadoff Hitter In Ben Revere

By Ryan Wenzell

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Revere started off the season slowly and has had his ups and downs like any other player in baseball, but he has been on a tear since May 1 and he gives the Philadelphia Phillies a legitimate leadoff for the first time in recent memory.

Revere has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 ballgames and has an impressive .350 average since May 1 raising his average for the season to .302 in the process. Critics like to point out Revere’s weak arm in center and the fact that he has no raw power to speak of, but the fact is the man gets on base and really sets the table for the Phils as dangerous threat on the basepaths.

The outfielder has seemed to really spark the offense the past month, as the rest of the lineup has followed suit and started swinging the bats better in late June and early July. Revere was a target for many of the fans early in the season as he wasn’t getting on base and was taking some curious paths to the ball in center field.

His defense and hitting have both improved and with it, the Phillies record has improved with him as the leadoff man.

Revere gives the Phillies a different dynamic than they have had in years atop the lineup due to his ability to steal at will. If he continues his torrid month and a half, the Phillies could eventually see themselves looking down in the NL East standings instead of up.